May 7, 2019
Best Picture Project: The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
The Great Ziegfeld doesn’t really work as a drama, a biopic, or a musical. None of the acting is particularly noteworthy. At nearly 3 hours it is far too long and there are entire sections that grind to a complete halt. One extended dance/musical sequence, while technically proficient and well executed, is obviously presented as the “showpiece” moment of the film and further chews up 9 minutes of screen time. Also there’s blackface. More. Than. Once.
